Table-cover holder



G. H. HARPER TABLE COVER HOLDER Filed Sept. 15, 1926 Patented Mar. Z2, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

GEORGE H. HARPER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TABLE-COVER HOLDER.

Application led September 15, 1926. Serial No. 135,685.

cover that are drawn and tiedA around the.

upper portion of the leg of the table just beneath the corner of the latter. This fastening device is somewhat awkward to ma-` nipulate, easily becomes untied, functions but imperfectly to draw the cloth smooth over the surface of the table. and is adaptable only to a fixed size of table.

One object of my present invention is to providel a lvery simple and inexpensive device, in the general nature. of a wire clamp,

that may easily and quickly be applied to a side edge or corner of the table top to securely clamp 4the table cover thereto, and may be as easily withdrawn. Another object. is to provide such a device that will be readily adaptable not only to table tops of varying thicknesses but alsoto table tops which are equipped on their edges with depending anges or moldings. The device of my invention is preferably applied to a corner of the table, although it'may also be applied betweenthe corners, and a further object is to provide a device which will readily straddle the leg.

In its preferred form my invention is adapted to function not only as al table cover clamp but also as a convenient holder for an ash tray, coaster, or any other article or ac cessory either'usefully or' artistically associated with the function of the table itself.

In the accompanying drawingI have illustrated a practical and preferred form or embodiment of my invention,and its preferred manner of use in connection with a. table and table cover, and re'ferring thereto Fig. l is an elevation of a corner of a card table'and table cloth or cover, showing my improved fastener applied thereto and also showing a receptacle, such as anash tray, mounted in and held by the fastening device;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1, with the receptacle indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the bent line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and I Fig. v4 is a perspective elevation of the wire clamp.

ReferringV to the drawing, my improved,

.loop 5, the arms 6, the depending fastening device is bent' to shape from a single length of steel or other spring wire, and is formed with a central fiat open loop 5 designed to lie flat on the top ofthe table and its cover and make a pressure contact with the latter. Extending from the loop 5 at a Wide angle (ninety degrees or more) from eachother are apair of horizontal limbs 6 also adapted to lie flat on the table top and its-cover in pressure contact there.- with. Continuous with the outer ends of the arms 6 are a pair of vertical depending limbs 7 that are adapted to lie in contact with thel edges of thetable top, preferably on opposite sides respectively of the corner of the latter. In the drawings vI have designated by T the table top, by L one of the legs of the table, by F a dependingl flange. or moldinof commonly found on the edge of the ta le top, and by C the table cloth or cover. The depending limbs 7 are made 'of a length ample to span not only the edge of the table y top T but also the flange or molding F, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Continuous with the lower end of each vertical limb 7 is an upward bend or loop 8 that, in the instance shown, underlies the flange F, and continuous with the bends or loops7 8 are a pair of upwardly and inwardly inclined arms 9 substantially parallel with each other and preferably outwardly bent or splayed attheir upper end portions as shown at 10; these outv wardly bent portions 10 preferably terminating in substantially vertical closed loops or eyes 11.

In applying the clamp to the corner of the table, as indicated in the drawings, the cover havingbeen spread over the table top, the inclined limbs 9 are bent downwardlyl sutli-l ciently to`clear the flange F, or the lower surface of the table top in the case of a table having no fiange, and theV clamp is then pushed inwardly u ntil the vertical limbs 7v vcome into contact with the edges of the table top adjacent to the corner. Upon releasing the arms 9. the latter spring upwardly into contactv with thel lower side of the table top, clamping the depending portion of the cover C thereagainst. At the same time, the spring action draws the central loop5 and arms down into. pressure contact with the portion of the,v table cover overlying the corner of the table top, so that the cover is frictionally by the mbs 7, and the free 9nd portions 10 of the-arms 9,

held and pressedagainst the table top 1 c whereby the entireportion' of the cover 4at the corner of the table is neatly and smoothly pressed against the top,`edges and bottom of the table top, and securely held from drawing out or wrinkling.

The structural features of the clamp as shown and described well adapt the same to serve as a holder or carrier for an accessory ferentially groove adapted to be embraced and held by the loop 5. When the device is equipped with such an accessory, the lower side of the stem orl such, for example, as an ashtray shown at A`,'this latter bein formed with a circumshort stem or kshank 12 shank 12 lies in pressure contact with the table top and its cover. By grasping the limbs 9 by the thumb and forefinger and pressing downwardly, the device may be removed b a simple outward movement, thus freeingt ecover.

While I have herein .shown the device ap` plied to the corner of a table top, and, by suitably spreading the limbs 9 `have adapted it to such a position wherein it straddles the leg "of the table, yet it is manifest that the device ma with equal facility, be applied to the e ge of the table at any point between adjacent corners of the latter.

The device is constructed of wire that isl tem red to have sufficient, elasticity to afford)e the automatic. clampin action described, andi yet .is sucient y pliable 'to enable the lower clamping arms 9 to be bent `at the loops 8 more or less upwardly or downwardly so as to adapt the device to table-tops of va in thicknesses. As here.

inabove noted, t e evice ma be used on f table to s with or without t e ,depending margina flange or moldingF; but many tables are made with such aflange or molding, and for such tables, the described formation of the 'parts 7, 8 and 9 is useful as enabling 'the device to straddle the flange or molding and grip the top in the manner ,shown and described. By virtue of the numerous points'of pressure contact, a frie- 'tion grip is obtained that will not allow the table cover or cloth to slip after the g less sharp 'edges or corners, which afford high frictional resistance.l Further-moreiclamp has been adjusted in place, especially' in view ofthe fact that the .device draws the tablecover tightly over two moreor and any size of cloth large enoligh the device is usable with any size of table the table.

In lieu of the ash tray shown, maybe used to carry an ornamental button or disc to convey any special design, color or sentiment that the owner or user may desire. The lower freeends of the limbs 9 being carried well beneath the table and also being protected by the cloth or cover do not offer any opportunity for catching on the garments of a pei/'son seated at the.

table.

I am aware that tidy holders bent into a generally U form from a single length of spring wire and adapted for applicatlon to the backs of chairs, mantel pieces and the jlikeyhave heretofore been proposed; but my present invention'diifers therefrom not only functionally but also in structural details important in a table cover clamp or holder, as defined in the following claims.

- I claim- 1. A table 1,cover fastener, comprising a spring wire clamp bent to provide a central to cover the loop l 5 loop adapted to press upon the' cover on the table top, limbs extending at an obtuse an le to each other from said loop, substantially parallel depending limbs extending at a right angle from said divergent limbs adapted to hold 'the cover'agamst the edge of the table top on opposite sides of a corner of the latter, and u wardly inclined limbsl pending limbs adapted to underlie a marginal flange of the table top, and upwardly inclined limbs continuous Withsaid loops adaptedat their innerends to press the cover against the' under surface of saidv table top.

encuen It HARPER nds f 

